vi PREFACE. 



engaged upon revision has decided to adhere to the Inter- 

 national rules, and a few alterations appear in the present 

 volume. I have, moreover, slightly deviated from the list, in- 

 cluding some species and excluding others, stating my reason 

 for this change. In order that nomenclature in the First Series 

 may also agree with the recent and it is hoped final decision of 

 systematic ornithologists throughout the world, the following 

 names should be altered : — 



Sylvia orphea, page 165, should be S. hortensis (Gmelin). 



Tjirdus musicus^ page 196, should be T. philomelus Brehm. 



T. iliaciis, page 199, should be T. musicus Linn. 



Pha'nicurus tifys, page 212, should be P. gibraltariensis 

 (Gmel). 



Accentor, pages 232, 235, should be Prunella. 



Flainmea flamniea, page 289, should be F. alba (Scop.). 



Asio accipit7-imis, page 294, should be A.flammeus (Pontopp.). 



jSyctala, page 300, should be Cryptoglaux. 



Astur palninbarius, page 322, should be A. gentilis (Linn.). 



In the forthcoming British List and in the suggested List of 

 Birds of the World, to be compiled by British and American 

 ornithologists, other alterations may be found necessary, but the 

 above are the most important. 



]\Iy object throughout has been to give more space to the 

 life history and appearance in the field of the species described 

 than to distribution or detail of plumage ; the salient colour and 

 form as seen through a field-glass is of more value to the out- 

 door naturalist than minute particulars detected in examination 

 of museum skins. Nevertheless the museum collection has not 

 been neglected, and all descriptions have been checked. 



Where my experiences difter from those of others, as recorded 

 in te.xt-books, I have adhered to my own observations, risking 

 criticism ; many a statement, quoted as a rule, is really founded 

 on an exception, and slavishly copied again and again because 



